Female Jordanian body-builder Farah Malhass trains at a gym in Amman, Jordan.

The 26-year-old’s ambition is to become the first Arab woman to participate in international body-building competitions.

“Everyone is against me,” she says. “No one understands why I want to become an international star in figure body-building.”

Hailing from a well-off Jordanian family as one of two daughters, Malhass’s parents are divorced. She has no contact with her businessman father and her mother is often away on travels.

“It was my grandfather who looked after us,” she says. “He always spoiled me, but when I was 20 I wanted to live alone and achieve my dream.”

Malhass is set to travel to Canada in September to take part in an amateur body-building competition in the “figure” category, for muscle men and women who do not aim to develop huge biceps.

Says Malhass: “My grandfather is ill and if he ever learned that I was taking part in this kind of competition, he would certainly never recover.”